Author Lance Bacon

A Navy brat who spent eight years in the Marines (two years aboard the carrier Independence). Worked in journalism in Eastern North Carolina through the latter part of the 90s, then became editor of Air Force Times in 2000. Stayed there five years, then took a break to finish some school. Now back in the game with Navy Times.

All Army Activities message 239/2011 is likely to step on some toes. It prohibits the wear of shoes that feature “five separate, individual compartments for the toes,” such as the one pictured above. Such shoes “detract from a professional military image,” the message said. As such, soldiers are not allowed to wear them with the individual physical fitness uniform or when conducting physical training in military formation. In truth, this is not a new rule. But it seems word either hasn’t been spread or adhered to.

This is a Drill Sergeant School formation this morning in Fort Jackson, S.C. As roughly three-quarters of the Army entered in the past 10 years, these are images that few active-duty soldiers have seen in their career — a mass of patrol caps with a few berets sprinkled in. Of roughly 100 soldiers we’ve talked to here, none were upset with the change this week that made the patrol cap the ACU’s official head wear. On the contrary, if the top spots at the Pentagon were determined by election, Gen. Dempsey and SMA Chandler would have a lock on…

FORT JACKSON, S.C. — The Drill Sergeant of the Year competition is so tight that all six competitors were within about five points of each other as they entered this final day, officials said. This final day of competition started with a running of the forthcoming Army Physical Readiness Test, and the results were rather remarkable as the competitors scored well above the averages that have emerged as the Army collects its initial data. And the drill sergeants did this despite a draining tempo that included more than 40 miles of rucking in the previous three days, and only…

FORT JACKSON, S.C. – And so the teachers have become the students. “One and a wake-up,” a gasping Staff Sgt. Samantha Goscinski told her fellow competitors after completing the Confidence Course. The statement is a familiar countdown used by trainees that identifies the training days remaining before they wake up and graduate. Like the trainees they typically lead, the six competitors hit the ground running this morning after only a few hours of sleep. Without any idea of what the day held, they started with a land navigation course that required each individual find seven points covering four miles…

Outside the Wire will feature profiles (in alphabetical order) of the six Drill Sergeant of the Year contenders this week. The competitors, which include four active-duty soldiers and two reservists, will be evaluated as they tackle more than 50 physically and emotionally challenging events. The winners will be announced Friday. Staff Sgt. Andrew Palmer is one of two reservists in this year’s competition. The Milwaukee native joined the Army in 1997. “It’s an honor to be here to represent my division as Drill Segeant of the Year,” he said. “I look forward to the competition because it is sure to…

Outside the Wire will feature profiles (in alphabetical order) of the six Drill Sergeant of the Year contenders this week. The competitors, which include four active-duty soldiers and two reservists, will be evaluated as they tackle more than 50 physically and emotionally challenging events. The winners will be announced Friday. Staff Sgt. Jasper Kohoutek is one of two reservists competing in this year’s competition. The Post Falls, Idaho, native joined the Army in 2003. “I’m honored to be here,” Kohoutek said. “This is a good opportunity to learn from the wealth of knowledge these senior drill sergeants bring.” The…

FORT JACKSON, S.C. — Most people would roll over and go back to sleep if they woke up at 0230. But the six soldiers vying to be the Army’s next Drill Sergeant of the Year aren’t “most people.” They rolled out of the rack to tackle a land navigation course. The goal was to find seven points covering four miles in less than three hours. And there was no pot of gold awaiting them at the end of this rainbow. Instead, it was the Confidence Course. The competitors had to successfully negotiate more than 15 obstacles. If they failed…

FORT JACKSON, S.C. — Day Two was a day of strengths and weaknesses. Most drill sergeants are subject matter experts in one or two areas. That is not to say they are ignorant in the others, but their knowledge in those is more general. Then, when the drill team comes together, they lean on one another to provide trainees the best possible instruction. But there are no teams out here. As such, the chinks in the armor is starting to show. Those who are strong in PT and drilling ceremonies had to show their weaponry mettle — and for those…

Outside the Wire will feature profiles (in alphabetical order) of the six Drill Sergeant of the Year contenders this week. The competitors, which include four active-duty soldiers and two reservists, will be evaluated as they tackle more than 50 physically and emotionally challenging events. The winners will be announced Friday. Staff Sgt. John Heslin is Fort Benning’s Drill Sergeant of the Year. The Baltimore native joined the Army in 2004. “It is an honor to be here representing Fort Benning and meeting the other competitors,” he said. “It’s also a good opportunity to get some good competition between the…

Outside the Wire will feature profiles (in alphabetical order) of the six Drill Sergeant of the Year contenders this week. The competitors, which include four active-duty soldiers and two reservists, will be evaluated as they tackle more than 50 physically and emotionally challenging events. The winners will be announced Friday. Staff Sgt. Samantha Goscinski is Fort Jackson’s Drill Sergeant of the Year. The Seattle native enlisted in 2003. “It’s pretty amazing that the Army holds a competition like this each year,” she said. “It builds esprit de corps within drill sergeant community, and drives us to become better.” The military…